Two U.S. service members were abducted last Friday, July 24, 2010, in Afghanistan's Logar province.
The Taliban says it killed one American during a firefight and is holding the other, Petty Officer Third Class Jarod Newlove, 25, of Renton, Washington, who is listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown by the Pentagon.
Petty Officer Second Class Justin McNeley was found dead on Sunday.
“The Newlove family and Navy appreciate as much privacy as possible during this difficult time which we all sincerely hope has a positive outcome."
There were no immediate demands from the Taliban for the return of the Americans because the group was still deliberating what its demands would be.
A U.S. military official confirmed that a $20,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the return of the two sailors. Posters were being distributed in the region.
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On July 25, whistle-blower website WikiLeaks released thousands of secret military records from the battlefront in Afghanistan – they posted more than 90,000 classified military accounts of the war in Afghanistan. The website's founder, Julian Assange, had shared the documents with several newspapers weeks before publishing them, on the agreement that they not report any of the information until after it appeared on WikiLeaks. The papers consist primarily of secret reports from troops in the field covering local intelligence and recounting clashes — including a number of missives detailing civilian casualties often at the hands of coalition forces.
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The "leak" comes precisely during the week that Congress was voting on another increase in funds for the war. This past Tuesday, July 27 a $59 billion bill providing funds for the war in Afghanistan cleared Congress. In the House, 102 Democrats opposed the measure while 148 Democrats supported it.
Members of Congress received many calls from the public against the additional funding for the war - the Administration had not been able to get the quick vote on the war funding they requested but it went through anyway.
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Can we talk?
I notice that news emphasis is put on the two sailors who went missing – one killed and one held captive - I have compassion for them and their families but I also notice that not one word was mentioned about the 5,610 U.S Military personnel who have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Thousands more have returned home with injuries that will change them and their families for the rest of their lives.
Current US Military Deaths - Afghanistan 1,207
Other Military Deaths – Afghanistan 761
Bottom line: your government just voted for an additional $59 billion to support the war – how do you feel about that? If you do not support it call 888-493-5443 now.
Tell your Congressperson that the WikiLeaks' documents confirm that this war is immoral and unwinnable and that you oppose the recent vote of $59 billion to support the war effort.
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